These Are My Battle Clothes
by the milliner's rook
Summary: Laughing is the best worst thing she possibly could have done.


Sequel to: Sweating Like A Sinner In Church and Red, The Colour of Despair.

Written for Day 1 of HitsuKarin Week 2014. Prompt: Ribbons and Lace.

* * *

Her first instinct is to laugh.

Actually, that's _exactly_ what she does_._ Karin laughs and laughs and laughs until her belly aches and she just can't _stop_.

The staring is completely deserved.

Laughing is the best worst thing she possibly could have done.

She laughs until her shoulders shake and her sides split and she's pretty certain that she's going to run out of air soon, and there's some tiny, _tiny_ part of her that has realized that the bafflement growing on Toushirou's face is slowly changing into a murderous glower. Although—

Right now, Karin doesn't care that she is being an ass. It took a second to register, and then she's been enveloped in a fit of laughter ever since she's stepped into his office.

Right now, the sight before her is _hysterical._

"Karin, _what—_"

"Sorry!" That familiar exasperation in his voice is all Karin needs to regain control and stifle her laughter. Temporarily, at least. She doesn't let herself speak until she claps her hand over her mouth and _grins._

"Sorry," Karin says again, taking her hand off her face while the grin still remains and a surge of affection glow through her. Her other hand forms a half-hearted 'hey' gesture, and at last she can properly speak and start a conversation. "But what have you got on your _head?"_

She both hates and loves the fact that she can't stop grinning at him.

Especially when a particularly noticeable dark red flush burns across his cheek almost as fast as the thought of evisceration must happen in his mind.

Karin can't stop grinning at _it_.

"That," Toushirou answers crisply, trying oh-so-hard to keep his voice full of authority and dignity, narrowing his eyes for further emphasis that he's somehow disappointed in her, "is a _bandana._"

It is a bandana and it is green and silky and Karin's eyes are glued to it. She stares even more when she sees the material swishing alongside him when he tilts his chin up, like he's defiant and challenging her, daring her to say something.

"You look ridiculous." Karin says without thinking. She doesn't realize she's spoken out loud until she sees him bristle a second later.

"_If you can wear ribbons, I can wear bandanas!"_ Toushirou seethes, and if it's possible, his cheeks have become even darker and Karin's really put her foot in it this time, hasn't she?

"Hey," Karin raises both her hands to concede, offering an easy smile and a peace offering. "You didn't let me finish. You look ridiculous. I love it."

_That_ clearly takes him by surprise.

His eyes widen. _"What?"_

"Yeah," Karin shrugs, and approaches him so there's less distance between them. When she reaches his desk, she leans over, palms placed flat on the table. She's not really sure what she's doing, but right now he's judging her with a weary look in his eyes, the bandana a light kind of green that covers most of his forehead. "You could do with a bit of ridiculous."

He huffs in response. "I'm not…"

_You are,_ Karin thinks, and it's a reflex of hers to give a small smile when she sees things she likes. "It's a good look." She says instead.

"_You're_ ridiculous." Toushirou mumbles, cheeks adorably red as Karin draws back. He looks at the wall behind her for a few seconds, before gruffly asking. "Really?"

"Really." Karin assures him with a nod.

It's more material that she can use to mock him with in the future with his questionable fashion choices and wonder in the meantime if he's trying to emulate the Sixth Division. First with the scarf, like Byakuya, now the bandana, like Renji…

"Besides, bandanas are pretty much like oversized ribbons, right?"

"I hate you." It's completely unsurprising that yet again his frown is challenging her smirk and she is losing to the sound of internal laughter and complete inability to maintain a straight face. "I hate you _so much._"

Karin beams. "We can be _ribbon buddies!_ Isn't that great?"

"Stop talking." He buries his hands in his face. It does little to hide the bandana.

"Any time you want to accessorize, just let me know." Karin teases, unable to add just _one more_ comment. Yuzu's the fashion guru, and right now apparently lace is in season. She wonders what he'd look like wearing lacy bandana. The image is too much, and she snickers.

"_Now_, Karin."

"Fine." With a regretful sigh, she gives in, and waits for Toushirou to become more composed and to look at her.

His voice is unexpectedly quiet. "… it looks that bad?"

"Not really." Karin admits honestly, shrugging. "It just took me by surprise."

It's going to take a while before she won't instantly burst into laughter whenever she sees him wearing it, but hey, she'll adjust eventually. It's not like it looks _awful_ on him.

Kind of the opposite, in fact.

It's a nice kind of green.

One that matches his eyes.

"You're staring at me." Droll, he states.

"Am not." Karin banters back, sounding lazy instead of flustered. She ignores the flutter in her stomach. Weird. She must be hungry.

He raises an eyebrow, nearly smirking. "You're going to tell me I look good now?"

"Yup. Who knew that all you needed to look handsome was a bandana?" Karin grins, playing it cool. Her grin widens when he snorts and his shoulders become more at ease. That's more like it.

"You need to work on your compliments." He tells her, unamused.

"I'll keep that in mind when I want to be a sweet-talker." Karin deadpans. "Now, what's a girl to do in order to get a bandana-wearing, extremely _attractive_ captain — of the tenth division, no less!—to get me lunch?"


End file.
